36 Miles

This is the scene from my front window and this is the scene from Splatgirl's back door (scroll down). Only 36 miles between us. I WANT SNOW. PLEASE MOTHER NATURE PLEASE???

2007 TBR Challenge

You may have noticed some changes I've made over on my sidebar. Do people look there or is it mostly for my reference?? It doesn't really matter...
I've joined a couple -alongs. Two knitalongs and one reading-along.
More on the knitalongs later...
I love to read but for the past couple of years I haven't done nearly enough, I blame this on my book club and on the computer. I end up not really enjoying many of the books chosen for bookclub so instead of putting a book down that I'm not enjoying I struggle through it and ignore all other books too. This year if I am struggling with a book club book I will put it to the side and pick up a book I really want to read. And why do I blame the computer? Because I spend too much time on it which I suppose is really my fault...so where was I?
I'll be keeping track of my reading progress on the sidebar this year, crossing books out when I finish them and adding titles as I read them.
You can reference the list if you would like to know what I'm planning on reading. I've also added a few extra credit books. Quite a number of these titles (5 of 12) are on this list because they've been borrowed to me and I'd like to get them back to their owners. For those of you who know me you'll probably be seeing me with a book in hand at all times ;-) What will you be reading in 2007?

Have a happy & very safe New Years everyone!

Delivery Complete

One of the reasons I went to California was to deliver some hand knit gifts. Alright, that just happened to be cooincidental. I would have mailed them if I hadn't gone there in person.

Remember these socks?? I knit them for my sister-in-law who has lived in Mesa AZ, that's why I had to knit the Mesa Socks That Rock just for her! They fit her well and she likes them so I'm pleased.

It Pays to Work

Since I'm working this week and Kyle is not, he's been cooking and cleaning around here. Tonight he made grilled salmon on a bed of mushrooms & spinach, spicy green beans and baked yams. It was all very good and I'm looking forward to working tomorrow ;-)
Let's just pretend this post counts for What's For Dinner Wednesday which I've been horrible at keeping up with.

Back At It

I'm back from a quick trip to Cali and I'm all finished with holiday festivities. As you can see, while traveling through the Mojave desert I managed to sneak in some knitting. That's a Reverse-Bloom Flower Facecloth by Cindy Taylor in Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I had a great time in CA, thanks Mom, Chris, Paula, M & J!
After a nice relaxing day today which included a movie (We Are Marshall, very good), dinner and an exchange of a knitting related gift I'll be heading back to work tomorrow, unfortunately. Hopefully you all had a nice holiday as well!

Secret Santa

I knit a pair of Malabrigo mittens for the person I was spoiling for secret santa this year. Our official reveal date is tomorrow but I'll be in California visiting family for Christmas so I outed myself today. She loved the mittens and even said I was the best SS ever but I need to disagree, I had the best SS ever. She spoiled me rotten.
Started: December 6, 2006
Finished: December 18, 2006
Pattern: Warm Woolly Mittens by Theresa Gaffey pattern #51
Size: Adult Medium
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Wool
Color: 1 skein each Natural & Shocking Pink
Needles: Size 4 bamboo DPN
Knit for: my Secret Santa spoilee

I'll be back sometime after Christmas blogging about all the hand knit gifts I gave this year!
Have a wonderful holiday!!

2006 in a Nutshell

Following Amy's lead, I'll give you my blog recap for the year. The first sentence fom each month in 2006.

January
I have literally picked up my needles twice in the last 9 days, and it was only for a few rows on a sock.

February
Found via Sandy's Knitting.

March
I'm taking part in Project Spectrum this year, March is the 1st month and the color is red and pink.

April
Today is the beginning of yellow & orange Project Spectrum.

May
It's not the most exciting sky I've seen but it is from today so I'm using it.

June
Ever since I saw the donut pincushions at Sewdorky (and now they have giant teeth-oh my) I've been meaning to make one or two.

July
A much different sky from last Saturday.

August
My laptop is going on a little vacation today to get a few bugs worked out, hopefully you won't notice though.

September
I've had this unfinished Hardanger class project tucked away for I'm not sure how many years and figured since August was black/white/neutral Project Spectrum month it would be a perfect opportunity to finished it up.

October
Lolly designated September as the Project Spectrum clean sweep month for finishing up any projects that weren't done during the 6 months of the challenge.

November
I failed at Socktoberfest just like I did last year.

December
Did you notice I didn't blog yesterday?

I found another winter wonderland on my way home the other night.

Onion Madness

This past Tuesday I was lucky enough to meet my friend for a lovely lunch at Salut. I feasted on a frise salad with hot bacon dressing and a peppered poached egg. Do you see those huge chunks of bacon??
Then I had the French Onion Soup, the best in the world in my opinion and the main reason for our return to this restaurant. Once we finished lunch we went shopping at the dog shop with her pupcake, I kept getting him in touble since I couldn't stop squeaking all the toys. Thanks for a fun afternoon Splatgirl!

Treatie

The extent of my holiday baking thus far has been melting some Hershey Kisses on pretzels with M&M's on top. Easy & yummy.

Why Would 2006 Be Any Different?

Once again I have neighbors who have gone completely over the top with their lights. And this is just the icing on the cake. They decorate for Easter, Forth of July, Halloween & Thanksgiving. They must use 1 garage stall just for all the stuff. Oh, they were featured on the evening news this year as a "carnival themed" display, just because there's one ferris wheel. I guess naming it a "plethora of crap" isn't PC.

Sixty-Five Years

Remember.

Doggie Daycare

Tonight my mom & I are going to the MN Wild game and so her dog Rosie doesn't have to spend countless hours in her crate today, I offered up a bit of doggie daycare today. So, we're just hanging out in the house today...wrapping up some gifts, knitting, catching up on TiVo, etc.

Malabrigo Mittens

Last Wednesday I finished up my 1st pair of Malabrigo mittens. I plan to knit another pair in the next 2 weeks for my Secret Santa pal, she expressed extreme interest in a pair of these beauties.
Started: November 14, 2006
Finished: November 29, 2006
Pattern: Warm Wooly Mittens by Theresa Gaffey pattern #51
Size: Adult Medium
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Wool
Color: 1 skein each Lettuce & Oriental Night
I'm positive that I have enough left over for another pair.
Needles: Size 4 DPN bamboo
Knit for: Me!

Pinhead, Petalhead, Brewhead Meatheads

Did you notice I didn't blog yesterday? Do you know why? It's because for the ENTIRE month of November I blogged every day! Did you catch on? I was just blogged out by the time December 1st rolled around. I decorated the house for Christmas instead. Now I'm back at it again...

Just over the November 30th deadline I finished two more meathead hats for Larissa's knitalong.

Pinhead
Started: November 30, 2006
Finished: December 1, 2006
Needles: Size 15 16" circular & Size 15 24" circular, bamboo
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Bulky 1-125 yd skein with ~17yds leftover
Color: M-34 Victorian Pink
Pattern: Meathead hat by Larissa Brown
Size: adult small/medium
Embellished with a giant safety pin which I aquired during my 1st job at a dry cleaners. We used the pins to close the bags of clothes during transport. The pin is stamped with the number 555.

Petalhead
Same information as pinhead except:
Started: December 1, 2006 before midnight
Finished: December 2, 2006 in the wee hours of the AM
Color: M-191 Kiwi
Embellished with a felted flower that I knit for the May 2005 Month of Softies knitalong. The pattern is Plethora of Petals by Stephanie Shiman found in the Spring 2005 issue of Knitty.

And all my meatheads together at last. Petalhead, Brewhead and Pinhead. Thanks for the inspiration Larissa!